The Hero of Men
by Sam Vernon
Summary: I'm kind of at a loss of ideas as to where I want this story to go. I hate to ask but if anyone could review to give me some interpretations and some opinions I'd appreciate it.
1. Chapter 1 The Arcu Tribe

**The Legend of Zelda **

The Untold Stories Book 1 - The Hero of Men

"Chapter 1 - The Arcu Tribe"

The night was darker than most, and the rains came like never before. Jaspo was barely able to keep his lantern lit, and Captain Viscen's insanity was starting to frighten him. The look in the Captain's eyes was almost as menacing as the beasts that waited for them on the shore. At least they were safe on the ship, at least the lanterns frightened the skeletal monsters more than the crew was frightened by them. Captain Viscen began shouting at the shoreline but Jaspo could barely make out his phrases.

Jaspo had always dreaded making the supply runs with Viscen, a veteran of King Daphness's royal militia, he'd definitely made a lot of sacrifices during the war and Jaspo was convinced his sanity must have been something he gave up. What other reason could there be for one of the most decorated officers leading a ship full of paintings, oil, gunpowder, and cheap trinkets to the Kapo Village east of the castle?

On the shoreline, among the most ferocious of monsters patiently awaited an even more dangerous threat…men. The most feared breed of warrior in existence, an Arcu. Considered by even the king himself to be extinct, the human leaders of the Stalfos were the stuff of nightmares brought about by the stories of a soldier who was tortured for weeks during the siege at Lake Hylia. With more ferocity than numbers, less than fifty of these brutes killed thousands of Hyrule's finest almost twenty years before this night. Only four of those men stood the harshness of time, and over the years kidnapped children to raise as warriors all in an attempt to overthrow the kingdom of Hyrule.

If it were not for the hope of resurrecting the wizard Grizzo and the leadership of Rinn Orlac, the Arcu tribe would have been simply a thing of history, but fate would not see them perish. The three men, hiding in the frigid water were not sure what could be on this boat, they didn't care how resilient the hearts of the crew could be, they only knew violence and obedience, and tonight their minds were clear except for the words "Leave none alive."

Link, the youngest of the three was always a gifted boy, well respected for his fast mastery of the sword and his determination. It was these traits that earned him the leadership of his party, a position he had no intention of bringing shame to. Link watched as the dimly lit boat came closer to the dock that he was hiding under. Not that the element of surprise was even needed for Link and his team to overcome the crew in battle, but the slightest spook of the Captain would result in the boat turning around and the mission being jeopardized. As perfect as the three warriors were, not even they could out-swim the vessel.

Back aboard the ship, Capatin Viscen (done with screaming into the night) went into the cabin to prepare the boxes for unloading. "Jaspo" He said "Yes Captain." Jaspo responded. " If you see anything, I want you to use this" Captain Viscen hands him a sword. "Well I don't know what to do with this." Jaspo said nervously "Trust me, when they come for you…you will." Captain Viscen's words stirred Jaspo as he was convinced the Captain would have killed him himself had he refused to take the sword.

As Captain Viscen headed into the cabin, he passed by a member of the crew sitting by the window, staring out into the darkness. "What's your name Soldier?" He said."San Kakriko Sir." the boy responded. "How old are you San?" The Captain asked. "I'll be 17 in a week sir." The boy responded. "Ha! Just like King Daphness, letting kids guard his kingdom. You weren't even born when the war ended. Do you even know what's out there waiting for us?" The Captain asked.

"Well sir, the Stalfos are-" The Captain cuts him off "You know nothing about these beasts boy." The Captain takes his hat off to show a hideous scar covering his forehead. "I was no older than you, my father and my brothers were out hunting Bremen, and it was about as dark as this night. You know the Bremen like to come out at night. We were attacked by the Stalfos, five of them. We were outnumbered, not like we would have stood a chance had it been more evenly matched but, one minute I'm about to fire an arrow at this prize animal and, darkness. I woke up in the bushes a few minutes later to find my father and brothers being mauled viciously."

The Captain continued "I rustled a bit in the bushes and the Stalfos heard me. Anxious to fill their lust for warm blood they came after me, and I ran for my life. I truly knew the feeling of fighting for survival." The Captain then pulls a glass and a bottle of whiskey out of a fake board in the wall of the ship. "I wound up in the bushes three miles away, I'd managed to hide from them. I laid still in those bushes until the morning came but I couldn't forget those eyes. Those, beady, blood red eyes. Let me tell you something boy, something like that….changes your life." The Captain was finally done with his story.

"Captain Viscen, we've arrived at the dock." Jaspo alerted. "Help me move these boxes San." The Captain ordered quietly. Outside the ship, the rains had finally calmed and the dock was pretty dry. Jaspo began loading boxes onto the carriage that had been waiting for him, when suddenly he noticed footprints leading him to the edge of the dock. He looked down into the water and saw nothing. Behind him, Mato, Link's team mate, jumped from the darkness and stabbed Jaspo through the heart while covering his mouth.

San then came from the ship to see Jaspo's dead body on the dock. "Captain! Jaspo's dead!" He cried, but not in time to prevent Hale, Link's other team mate from attacking San and holding him hostage. Captain Viscen ran out of the cabin to be snuck up on by Link. Link held his sword to Viscen's back but Viscen flipped forward away from the blade pulling his own sword in the process. "So…almost twenty years later…you're back. Who wants to die first? Do you know how many of your kind I've killed? You're not immortal…Invincible…Who's first?" The Captain proclaimed.

The Captain recognized the tribal marking on their chest plates and even knew what position each member played, Link being in a green tunic meant he was their leader, Mato being in the red tunic representing his seniority, and Hale wearing blue meant he was the most inexperienced. Captain Viscen, in an attempt to save San threw his knife at Hale only to have San used as a human shield. San laid dead on the ground as Viscen began skillfully taking all three Arcu members on at once.

However, Viscen's efforts were not enough as he began taking stabs from all three warriors. Viscen fell to the ground and began to bleed profusely. Link, and his team went for the ship where barrels of oil and boxes of paintings were sitting on the ground after being unloaded. Viscen dying, looked into the woods and could see the Stalfos moving through the darkness, too afraid of the fire in the lanterns to come any closer. Link gave the order for Hale to pull up the anchor when Viscen, in a last ditch effort grabbed the lantern from the post and threw himself onto the barrels of oil and gunpowder, resulting in an explosion that destroyed the ship and killed both Hale and Mato. Link was blown away from the ship onto the shoreline where he suffered a severe head injury, and laid unconscious and helpless throughout the night.


	2. Chapter 2 Mysterious Strangers

"Chapter 2 - Mysterious Strangers"

_**"Link stood amazed not only at how beautiful this girl was, but how she made him feel. Link didn't remember anything about who he was, but at that moment he knew who he wanted to be and that's something he knew his heart would never let him forget."**_

Link awoke the next morning in a brush of four leaf clovers, his armor destroyed. He threw off his armor and kept on nothing more than his boots and his green tunic. All around him were remnants of burned paintings and destruction. With no memory of who was and unsure of what it all meant, Link ventured upstream to a small cove where he proceeded to clean his wounds. From a ledge above a heavyset man and a young girl are watching as a shirtless man dives into the water below armed with a spear.

Once underwater, he begins swimming about hunting for fish. After hooking a loach and being pulled by it, he surfaces and finds Link drinking from a small pond on the other side of the dam. The older man and the girl then begin following him. "Swift, Swift! Are you ok?" The young girl shouts. "I'm fine." Swift responds. Swift then heads over to Link to find out what he's doing. "Hello. Good morning, you look a bit beat up." Swift says.

Link looks up and stares silently, he is unsure of what to say. "What happened to you? You look like you could use some help." Swift says. "Come with us back to the ranch, we know someone who can fix you up." Link, feeling like he can trust Swift, decides to follow them. "Namtor, looks like he's riding with you." Victoria, the girl said. Link found himself fascinated by the young girl. Despite his memory loss, even as a fierce Arcu, he'd never known a woman's touch.

Her appearance was simple but in his eyes flawless, her eyes a pure crystal green underneath hair of amber, and a brown tunic. Judging from her height and voice, Link would guess that she is about his age. Link then saddled up on Namtor's horse with him. The drunken man then told Link "Don't know if you've ever ridden one of these before but don't worry, I'm a master." "Namtor, I think you're supposed to be facing the other direction." Swift said seeing how Namtor had mounted the horse backwards. The four rode back into Hyrule to an out of the way ranch.

The ranch-keeper Talin came out to greet them. "Ah Swift, you're all back so soon." He exclaimed. "Yes, our adventure was cut short due to finding this wounded young man, although he hasn't said anything since we found him. He may have a broken jaw or he may just be mute. Is there any way Nadya would be able to patch him up?" Swift asked. "Sure thing." Talin said as he beckoned for Link to follow him into the kitchen. Inside the kitchen Link meets an older woman who is cutting vegetables.

"Who's this?" Nadya asks. "This is our friend…well he hasn't told us his name yet. He's hurt though, we were wondering if you could help him" Victoria tells Nadya. "No problem, let me go grab my needles." Nadya tells Victoria. Inside Nadya's study, Link and Victoria sit awaiting Nadya's arrival. "So…do you normally never say anything? I don't think I properly introduced myself, my name is Victoria. I live in a village near here, Swift is a family friend. What's your name?" Victoria asked Link. "Vic….Vic…toria?" Link stutters. "So you can talk after all?" Victoria concludes.

"My name…I don't remember." Link tells her. "Hmm…Well, you look kind of like this man I used to know when I was little, I think I'll call you Gus." Victoria says. "Gus…my name is Gus." Link then repeats. Victoria laughs at Link's boy-like charm. Later that night, after Link's wounds have been stitched up, he wakes from a nap he fell into and walks into the l kitchen where Victoria is wearing a lot less clothing and getting the meat ready for dinner. Link, having never seen a woman's figure before is perplexed by how she looks.

"What is that?" Link asks, Swift sitting at the table reading a book and sipping wine, unsure of whether or not he means Victoria's lady parts or what she's cooking simply tells Link "It's a breast." Link, not sure if Swift means Victoria's body or what she's cooking replies "Oh, it's a…a pretty…breast." Swift laughs quietly and Talin comes into the house. "Hey guys everybody's ready outside. Gus, you're looking a lot better than you were when you got here." Talin says.

The three follow Talin outside where his family and the families of the other ranch hands are waiting at a large table. There is a bonfire burning in the middle of the pasture. Namtor is sitting by the fire telling some of the kids a story about a ghost, running around with his shirt over his head like he's a ghost. Link watches him, and Swift tells Link about Namtor. "He's such a great guy, a little too much of the spirits though. When we found you, I was actually leading him around on a quest to find a rare artifact but, he was too drunk to know I was leading him in circles. He used to be a Hylian soldier, now he's just a big guy full of stories. Noble and loyal though."

After dinner, Link sits by the bed Talin offered him when Victoria comes in. "We're going to the castle tomorrow with Talin to take the harvest to the market. I hope you'll come along." She tells him. "I want to show you something though. Come with me." Link follows her downstairs and out of the house. The two head over into the woods. "We don't have to worry about Stalfos here, the fairies protect us." Link and Victoria arrive in an opening where fairies are flying through the air almost like fireflies. "One time my mother brought me out here with a bottle and we caught a fairy. Some people say it's bad luck to bottle a fairy, but once you catch it in a bottle, it's yours. It will guard you and your family for the rest of your life. What's so bad about that?" Victoria asks.

Victoria pulls a bottle out of a bag and tells Link to catch one. Link is unsuccessful, so Victoria takes the bottle and catches one. "Here you go." She gives it to Link. "After tomorrow I don't know if I'll ever see you again, seeing as how I have to get back to my family, but I hope you remember me, and I hope this fairy keeps you from getting beat up again." Victoria tells him. Link stood amazed not only at how beautiful this girl was, but how she made him feel. Link didn't remember anything about who he was, but at that moment he knew who he wanted to be and that's something he knew his heart would never let him forget.

The sound of roosters alerted Link to the coming of morning. Link ran downstairs to see Swift, Namtor, Victoria, and Talin all ready to leave for the castle. "Welcome lazybones. At first we thought you weren't going to make it." Swift tells him. As Link hopped aboard the carriage, he spotted a sword in a sheath and a flashback of his Arcu training came back to him. Obviously startled he touched the sword again and felt nothing. He then picked it up and instinctively put it on. "Used a sword have you?" Swift asked. "That cheap thing, it's one of my old ones, but feel free to have it." He tells Link.

The carriage departs and within a few hours arrives at Hyrule Castle. Link is mesmerized by the beautiful structure. "Ah home." Namtor exclaims. "Namtor you know what to tell the guards right?" Swift asks him. "Yes of course of course." Namtor responds. "Victoria…you aren't happy to be at the castle are you?" Link asks. "So you can speak." Says Swift. "I've been here so many times, I'm just not very impressed by it anymore." She tells Link.

The carriage pulls up to the drawbridge and the guard at the guard shack comes up to them. "What is your business here at the castle?" He asks. "I'm here to see the prince." Namtort tells him. "Is the prince of Hyrule expecting you?" The guard asks. "This is an outrage. You think my own son would be expecting me." Namtor says outraged. "He's only joking (Swift pantomimes Namtor having too much to drink) we're here so Mr. Talin can sell his harvest." Swift tells him. "Very well, you may enter. You sir, need to lay off the spirits." The guard tells Namtor. "Good day to you as well." Namtor responds.


	3. Chapter 3 The Castle

"Chapter 3 - The Castle"

The group gets out of the carriage and carries their vegetables and goods to the vendor's area. On the way there, Link sees a familiar face and has a flashback of talking to this man. Link drops his basket and begins to follow the man as he walks through a door he locks it behind him and Link cannot follow. Link then jumps the wall and begins climbing on rooftops trying to follow this man. Link then sees him enter a building.

Link runs over to the top of the building and waits for him to come out, Link is not sure why, but he instinctively knows not only how to jump rooftops so well, but he knows exactly how he's going to tactically swoop from the roof of this building onto the man when he walks out. Inside the bar, the characters Lin and Daltus are talking about a failed plan. Link can see them through a crack in the ceiling and can barely hear them.

"I believe all my men were killed. The boat exploded. Link is missing but his sword was left behind." Lin tells Daltus. "He must be dead too right? Those stupid monsters probably ate his carcass." Daltus tells Lin. "Don't talk about my slaves that way Daltus. If Link is alive we will find him. We've got his sword though, if need be, either I or Orlac will stand in his place." Lin says. "We only have a few days before the full moon, and you need to keep your end of the bargain. You've already not delivered the boat….you better deliver the princess though."

"She'll be yours soon. Grizzo will be resurrected on that full moon and then the kingdom is ours. Don't worry Lin and tell Orlac he better meet me here next time." Daltus tells him. "I'll tell him, but I think he'll feel more amused than threatened by your request." Lin then finishes his beer and walks towards the door. After a few moments Lin comes out and Link goes to jump on him, but falls through a weak spot in the building's roof. Link falls through and finds himself in the middle of a bar where there are swords on the wall and all kinds of old drunks singing songs and having a good time.

"Where the heck did Gus go?" Swift then asks Namtor. "I saw him jump on the roof of that building a second ago." Namtor tells Swift. "Why didn't you tell me that?" Swift then asks Namtor. "You didn't ask." Namtor then tells him.

Back in the bar, Link has drawn quite a bit of attention to himself. Daltus steps close to Link and through the people Link notices he's standing inside of a circle. Daltus then begins speaking. "What have we here?" Daltus then begins making mock heroic poses and runs to the wall and grabs a sword. "I see you've come prepared old sport. On guard!" Link puts his hands up as if Daltus wanted to fight hand to hand, then Daltus swings his sword around and Link backs up out of the circle.

"I think that's a new record for me. Three steps and he's out of the ring." Daltus yells. The drunks are cheering him on as he turns around to face the crowd, soaking in the applause. When Daltus turns around to face Link however, he is introduced to a kick in the chest that sends him flying through the wall of the bar. Link then pulls out his sword and is prepared to fight. "You're asking for it now boy. Two seconds ago, you didn't even act like you had a sword, now you're ready to dance? Well, let's dance." Daltus tells him.

Daltus and Link begin fighting on Hyrule's streets, jumping through vendor stands and on top of carriages. Victoria then sees the two fighting. "Swift, I found him!" She tells Swift. "Looks like the sword was bad idea." Namtor then says.

Link and Daltus continue their fight, and suddenly Link begins having flashbacks of his training as an Arcu warrior. After Daltus gets his sword knocked out of his hand he gets the drop on Link and climbs up to an abandoned guard post where a bell sits. Link follows Daltus up and winds up getting birdseed in his eyes from Daltus, causing him to drop his sword. Link then has a flashback of having his eyes sewn shut while fighting with a senior Arcu tribe member that looks like a younger Lin and when the prince tries to hit Link with a broom Link catches it blind and knocks Daltus off the tower. Daltus however does not let go of the broom and drags Link down with him.

The two wind up falling through a small gazebo where Daltus takes control of the broom and is about to hit Link with it when Swift takes the broom from him. "Prince Daltus, this will stop here." Swift tells him. "Come on Colonel, this peasant attacked me." Daltus tells him. "I assure you, that my man will receive some disciplinary action." Swift says. "Your man? You mean this thing is one of yours? He looks like a mangy beggar!" Daltus roars furiously.

"Well with all due respect your majesty, these men do not get paid very well. It's no surprise he looks a little less than presentable. Of course the same could be said about you." Swift tells Daltus. "It's my day to enjoy myself Colonel. If I want to go have a drink with the common people, I will, and you can't stop me. As for this lowlife, I'd suggest you have him cleaning the training stables." Daltus says to Swift. "Well sir, if you must know I think he'd rather work in your sister's stables." Swift tells Daltus to get a rise out of him.

"What? Zelda come here!" Daltus yells. "Daltus, please not in front of townspeople, I'm trying not to be the princess right now." She tells him. "Do you know this maggot?" Daltus asks her. "Yes, his name is Gus and if you must know he's being trained right now by Colonel Swift to be my new personal guardian." She tells him. Prince Daltus, furious, walks away towards the castle.

"Your new personal guardian princess?" Swift asks the newly revealed princess. "I think you could train him well enough to be. I don't know why, but I feel as if he's trustworthy." She tells Swift. Namtor interrupts the moment with "Well it's settled. Gus is going to be Zelda, I mean Victoria's new royal guard. A royal guard fit for a royal princess" "Namtor will you knock it off?" Interrupts Swift. "I'm just saying Colonel, he should be invited to the ball tonight." Namtor says.

"The ball?" Link asks. "In celebration of the war's end the representatives from the six regions will be present at the king's ball. We will have Zora, Goron, Deku, Gerudo, and Terminian men at the castle tonight." Swift tells Link. "Yeah, Swit's right, but if you're going to come, we're going to have to get you something to wear." Zelda tells Link.


End file.
